USA is a community of leaders and learners who support and challenge one another through academic experiences, research and service that advance the Gulf Coast region and the world. South encourages creativity and discovery by linking experiential learning to real-world applications.
Read more

South is a place where students discover and strengthen their passions, find their career paths, and form connections that result in lifelong relationships. At South, we look at the world and see things that we have the power to change, affect and shape — together. So that’s exactly what we do, every single day.
Read more.

College is an exciting time for you and your student, and we want to help you navigate through making your decision and finding resources for your student. Our website offers connections to assist you with admissions and financial aid, directions and scheduling a visit, and housing and dining options.
Read more.

Throw up your J and join us! As a member of the National Alumni Association, you adding value to your degree and support the many programs offered by the Association. Your membership gives back to USA, sets the foundation for the future, and entitles you to great benefits.
Read more.

A South education allows students to explore and develop interests that build the foundation of lifelong career paths. Our faculty are dedicated to helping students reach their maximum potential. And with more than 100 undergraduate and graduate degree programs, South provides plenty of avenues for discovery.
Read more.

USA researchers are problem-solvers and pioneers, and our faculty often collaborate across disciplines. The outcomes are high-quality scholarship, global partnerships, new information and opportunities, the transformation of traditional disciplines, and innovations that benefit society.
Read more.

South’s student-athletes compete in 17 NCAA Division I sports, demonstrating excellence on the field and in the classroom. The Jaguars are a charter member of the Sun Belt Conference, and our alumni have gone on to notable professional careers in baseball, basketball, golf and football.
Read more.

With Tuition Paid, Students Turn Focus to Cyber Defense

South students Thanh Nguyen, left, and Joel Dawson, right, meet with Dr. Todd Andel,
professor of computing and principal investigator for a $4.1 million grant awarded
to the School of Computing.

University of South Alabama students Thanh Nguyen, Kassy Seale and Joel Dawson all
hold national security classifications for access to some of America’s secrets.

That’s because all three of the computer and information science majors received significant scholarships that pay for all tuition and related costs as well
as internships to work inside some of America’s top research laboratories before graduation.

“This scholarship has essentially given me much better connections than I ever would
have had access to without it,” said Nguyen, 24, a first-year graduate student from
Mobile who interned last summer at the Sandia National Laboratories facility in Livermore,
Calif. “My job options after graduation will be much greater because of it.”

The scholarship program, “Cyber Scholars: Scholarships for Service,” recently received
a new $4.1 million National Science Foundation grant that will continue the scholarships
through 2021 for highly qualified students in cyber security and information assurance
studies. It provides two- and three-year scholarships for up to 23 undergraduate and
graduate students. In return, those students must work in federal, state, local and
tribal government agencies for a period of time equal to receiving the scholarship.

Joel Dawson, left, and Kassy Seale both spent their summer working for federal research laboratories.

“These scholarships allow the School of Computing to attract quality students into
our programs and to do research, especially in graduate school,” said Dr. Todd Andel,
professor of computing and principal investigator for the grant, the largest ever
received by the School of Computing. “During their internships, these students are
working on the leading edge of cyber security research inside the government.”

Graduate student Kassy Seale of Daphne worked at the Sandia National Laboratories
primary site in Albuquerque, N.M., on data from the U.S. Strategic Petroleum Reserve
and cyber security risk assessment for nuclear power plants.

“It’s great we have these opportunities from South,” Seale said. “In the right environments,
like these, you learn so much in a short amount of time on the job. That gives you
the confidence to apply for a great job after graduation.” She will receive her master's degree
in May 2017.

The cyber security and information assurance curriculum includes security-oriented
courses, which means cryptography, software vulnerabilities, hardware countermeasures,
virus and malware defense, and forensics as well as cyber-focused research.

The scholarships provide academic year stipends of $22,500 for undergraduate students
and $34,000 for master’s degree students. Besides tuition, the scholarships cover
education-related fees, a health insurance reimbursement allowance of up to $2,000
per year, a professional development allowance, a book allowance of $2,000 per academic
year, plus funds for travel and professional certification.

Joel Dawson, 31, will graduate with a master’s degree in computer science in May 2017.
Last summer, he worked at the Idaho National Laboratory with a focus on malware analysis.

“It was fascinating to be able to do work at that level and to be exposed to co-workers
at that level,” Dawson said. He added that the experience has already led him to a
successful job interview with a federal agency.

The scholarship program, co-sponsored by the Department of Homeland Security, is designed
to increase and strengthen the number of federal information assurance professionals
that protect the government’s critical information infrastructure. The program mentors
scholarship recipients in cyber security research and education, helps with summer
internship opportunities and, ultimately, helps graduates find cyber security and
information assurance positions in the government workforce. Students also participate
in activities such as conferences, workshops and seminars. The program’s overall aim
is to develop a community of practice that will enhance students’ individual and collective
skills in areas increasingly important to the security of the United States.

Students interested in applying for the scholarships must be:

Enrolled in the final two years of a bachelor’s or master’s program; the final three
years of a doctorate degree, or up to three years for combined programs.

Attending school on a full-time basis while receiving a scholarship under the SFS
program.

A United States citizen or lawful permanent resident.

Eligible for federal employment.

Able to obtain a security clearance.

All three students are continuing to do work for their summer employers online, and
they said their summer jobs helped them to realize they were as knowledgeable in their
field as students from larger, older and better-known universities.

“It’s great they get to work alongside students from other places and see they have
learned just as much, or more, in our program as other students from other universities,”
Andel said. “That’s a great compliment to what we’re doing here.”